Improvement in cradles for children



UNITED TATEs PATENT OEEIGEa WILLIAM QI. STOVELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN CRADLES FOR CHILDREN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 111,989, dated February21, 1871; antedated February 20, 1871.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. STowELL, of the city and county ofBaltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and ImprovedCradle for Children; and Ido hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, making part of this specification, in which-Figure l, Plate 1, is a view of one side of the cradle. Fig. 2, Plate 1,is a top view of the same. Fig. 3, Plate 2, is a section takenlongitudinally and vertically through the center of the cradle. Fig. 4,Plate 2, is a view of one end of the cradle.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalgures.

This invention relates to certain improvements in cradles for children,which consist, first, in suspending and guiding the body of the cradlein such a manner that it will swing freely in a direction with itslength without being allowed to have lateral motion, thus preventing theinjurious consequences so often experienced in children which are tossedfroln side to side in the laterally-rocking cradles and cribs, as willbe hereinafter explained; second, in a treadle arrangement adapted forswinging the cradle, which treadle has a horizontal vibrating motion,and consequently does not require the foot to be moved up and down whileswinging the cradle; third, in suspending the longitudinally-swingingcradle from posts of a portable frame by means of rods and springs, sothat there will be no concussions communicated to the cradle whileswinging it, and so that a free elastic up-a11d-dowu motion will beaiforded, as will be hereinafter explained.

The following description will enable others skilled in the art towiderstand my invention.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents the body ot' the cradle orcrib, which is of a rectangular form, and may be ornalnented in anysuitable manner. This cradle is provided with a spring-bottom, G, thefour corners of which are mounted on springs t, so as to afford an easyelastic support, as shown in Fig. 3.

B B B B are four posts, which are connected together at their lower endsby crosspieces C, and rise perpendicularly therefrom, and are connectedtogether at their upper ends by transverse rounds B B', thusconstituting a portable frame for the cradle A.

The cradle A is suspended within its frame by means of four rods, c (t aa, and a corrc sponding number of springs, b Z1, which latter areattached at a to or near the corners of the cradle, and also to thelower ends of the suspension-rods a, as shown in the drawing. The upperends of the rods a are attached by pivots to the posts B, near the upperends thereof.

Beneath the cradle A, and pivoted at s to one of the pieces G, is alever or treadle, D, which is allowed-to receive a longitudinal motion,and also, when not in use, to be turned in beneath the cradle out of theway.

A foot-loop, d, is applied to the outer end of the treadle, and to itsinner end a cord, b, is attached, which is passed around a pulley, c,and attached to an eye fastened to the bottom of the cradle near itsfoot.

By vibrating the treadle, motion will be communicated to the cradle.

The rod d', which is attached to the inner end of the treadle, will holdup that portion of the cord b which extends from pulley c to the foot ofthe cradle when the treadle is turned around out of the way.

It will be seen from the above description that I have a portable cradlewhich is hung in such manner that it will only swing in the direction ofits length-that is to say, in the direction of the length of the infantlying in it. Consequently the occupant will not be tossed from side toside nor moved out of its position by said swinging motion.

To obviate any lateral motion of the cradle A, I apply along staple, f,to one side thereof, and use in conjunction therewith perpendicular rodsg g, which rise from the bottom of the frame and are received by saidstaple, as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. Thecradle or crib A, arranged and guided Within im portable frame, and toswing only combination with the cord b and cndwiseeudwise uponSuspenders or rods a, which are swinging cradle A, substantially in themanmade With or W1thout the springs b, and are 11er described.

attached to the posts of the portable frame 1 and cradle or crib,substantially in the man- WILLIAM J' STOWELL' 11er described. Vitnesses:

2. The horiz@tally-vibrating treadle or 1e- J. N. CAMPBELL, ver Dmadewith or Without the rod d', in R. T. CAMPBELL.

